What Should Have Happened
by Jordan Jameson
Summary: Alternate ending of CoB. Continues through the rest of the series. CLACE, CLACE, CLACE! TONS OF CLACE! Rated T for violence and somewhat mild coarse language. Rating may go up to M later. Did I mention there's tons of Clace?
1. Chapter 1

Clary couldn't help it. She had to tell Jace. She had to use it to her advantage. If it was Valentine – if it was "their" father – who told him, she might not have as much of a chance. "Jace," she said, "if you're going to accept _him_ as your father, then… then you'll have to accept me as your sister." Her voice was shaky. She wanted to cry. She wouldn't believe that Jace was her brother. _Couldn't _believe it. After all they had been through, after all that he had done for her. She found herself sobbing, falling to her knees. Jace, who had been sitting completely still, stunned, suddenly rose from his seat. "She's right," he said quietly, "you aren't my father. Michael Wayland was my father." Clary heard the disbelief in Valentine's voice. "Now Johnathan," he said. "No," Jace said, "no. I am Jace Wayland, no son of yours."

He sank down to his knees beside her. "Clary," he said gently, "Clary, are you all right?" She looked up, saw him right there. The love in his eyes was real. She could see that. "_Jace_," she said quietly, barely audible. "Jace," she said again as she flung her arms around him, held him tight, felt his warmth, breathed in his scent. He rubbed her back soothingly. "You're okay," he said, "I'm not going to leave you, not going to accept that you're my sister. I couldn't bear to live with that." She pulled back away from him a little. Stared into his gorgeous golden eyes, became lost in them. "I love you, Clary," he said. "I love you, too, Jace," she replied. The words were foreign on her tongue but slipped out with ease. She had never felt this way about anyone before. She'd never felt such agonizing pain, brutal hatred, and absolute adoration for anyone before. She now understood that true love wasn't like in the fairy tales. True love wasn't easy. But true love was something, someone that was worth fighting for.

Jace was Clary's true love. She felt that it was meant to be. The two of them together… possibly forever. She was warmed by the thought. They leaned in and kissed, almost completely forgetting that Valentine was right there. Which was why Clary was caught totally off guard when a blade was driven through Jace's back, the tip protruding from his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

The two of them broke apart. At first, Clary was completely clueless. Then she saw Jace's face, suddenly pale. Uncharacteristically, horribly pale. Her eyes widened as she saw the wound, blood pouring from it. Her gaze moved up. There she saw Valentine. Her father. _He_ had done this to Jace. Sweet, gorgeous Jace. The only person she had ever felt so close to besides Simon. But even her best friend was distant now. She stood, her hands clenching into fists at her sides, anger welling up inside of her. Her nails dug into her palms and she could already feel blood slowly trickling from the small crescent-like wounds on the skin of her hands. "No," she said, "no, I won't let this happen." Valentine looked at her as if he were amused. "I'm not going to just stand around and watch as you hurt every single person I care about. That's not what you wanted to hear, though, is it _father_? Do you really want to hurt everyone who matters to your youngest child, _father_? Your only daughter, _father_? The last of your children alive, the only one you didn't kill, _father_?" She spit the word out fiercely and could see that every time, it burned him like the sickly sweet poison of a demon.

Valentine trembled. From rage or regret and sorrow, Clary wasn't sure. Either way, she didn't care. She didn't care if he was her flesh and blood, her real father, or not. He had hurt Jace. Maybe worse. She wouldn't let him get away with it. He would die tonight. And if Jace died? Valentine would have it even worse.

"Clary," she heard Jace choke her name out. She looked at him and immediately felt the pain and sorrow again, the fierce need for revenge momentarily drained out of her. She once again fell to her knees at Jace's side. "Clary," Jace choked out again, "get the Cup. Don't worry about me. Just get the Cup." He pressed the hilt of the dagger back into her hand. She shook her head, tears once again filling her eyes. "Jace," she said, "I don't give a damn about the Cup. You're the only thing I'm worried about right now." Jace didn't give up. "Clary," he said, struggling with every word, "you have to. The Clave… the Accords… everything. You have to follow the Covenant…. You have to." Clary shook her head hopelessly. "Jace, I'm not one of the Clave. I needn't answer to them nor follow the Covenant. I'm loyal only to those who I love. But sometimes I have to disobey. Like now."

Jace looked at her like she was crazy. "What the hell was that," he asked. Clary laughed. Not much, just a little. "I have no idea," she said, "now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get my revenge and then we'll continue this conversation." She stood up and, before advancing on Valentine, said one last thing. "Don't die tonight, Wayland. I need you."


	3. Chapter 3

Jace was positive now that Valentine wasn't his father. His father would never have gone so far as to seriously injure him. He could also see now that Clary didn't love the mundane. She loved _him_. The thought warmed him despite the chill that had started to fall on him. _Blood-loss_, he thought, bringing his hand up to the wound on his chest weakly. Clary's words echoed through his head. _Don't die tonight, Wayland. I need you._ He was proud of her, honestly. She'd come a long way in a short amount of time. He thought back to the Pandemonium, where they had first met. Where he had first fallen for her. The first time that he had _truly_ fallen for anyone.

Then he thought back to that night. The night before her birthday. The picnic in the greenhouse, kissing her. He remembered walking her back to her room, not wanting to leave her. Then Simon had come out of her room. He had been heartbroken. Jace had always known how Simon felt about Clary. He didn't mind that so much. He just couldn't bear to see Clary return those feelings. But she hadn't. All along, she had loved him. He couldn't leave her now. He had to keep a grip on his life.

It was difficult, he had to admit. He was losing more blood by the second and his breathing had become painful. His vision was blurry and everything sounded far away. He just hoped that Clary was okay. He could feel his heartbeat slowing. _No_, he thought, _no, I can't die. Clary. _He fought to keep his eyes open, his breathing steady. This wouldn't be the end for Jace Wayland. He had someone now. Someone who was important to him. Someone that _he_ was important to. _Clary_, he thought again before he slipped out of consciousness despite his efforts to stay awake and alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Clary had found herself locked in close combat with her father. She obviously wasn't the only one who was surprised when she ended up with the upper hand. Sword to dagger, pro to amateur, father to daughter, none of it mattered in the end. Clary was winning the fight. She knew it wasn't because of her skill, though. It was because of Jace. She had to win this for Jace.

She thought things were going well until Valentine stepped back one step, two steps, until, finally he came to the mirror. He looked almost amused. "I must say, Clarissa," he said, "your mother has trained you well." Clary snarled in reply, "My mom didn't teach me anything. This is me and me alone." Valentine raised an eyebrow. "So it is," he said, "now, honestly Clarissa, I must go. Perhaps we can speak on better terms later." Too late, Clary realized that the mirror was the Portal. He took another step back and there he was, in Idris. She froze and watched as the surface glimmered and became a mirror once again.

It didn't take her long to come back to her senses and rush back over to Jace. She knelt beside him and immediately caught her breath. "Jace," she said, "Jace, no, Jace, you can't leave me. No." He was barely breathing, his heartbeat slow. "No," she whispered again. Just then, Luke burst into the room and looked around. Clary looked up at him. "Luke," she said, "Luke, help. Jace, he's… he's dying." Luke rushed over and shook his head sadly. "Clary," he said, "I don't think that there is anything we can do."


	5. Chapter 5

"No," Clary said, tears filling her eyes again, "no, there must be something, some way we can…" She stopped and glanced to Jace's belt. She saw the smooth metal of the stele. "The stele," she said, "maybe… just maybe…" Luke was looking at her in amazement. "You know the healing rune," he asked. She closed her eyes to get a better picture of it and nodded. "Yes," she said, "I do." She set to work immediately, knowing there wasn't a second to waste. She ran the stele down the front of his bloody shirt as he had done with Alec, trying not to be too affected by the wound. She then carefully traced the rune, steadily. She closed her eyes as she finished it, not wanting to watch if it hadn't been enough.

After several long moments of silence, she heard Jace's voice. "C-Clary," he said weakly, "you… you…" She opened her eyes, saw that the only blood on his chest was old and drying, saw that the wound was closed, saw that he once again had a sparkle in those golden eyes. No, she thought, it was more of a fire. Jace wasn't exactly a sparkly guy. That crooked smile of his had returned, too, but it was no longer mocking or teasing or in any way annoying. It was a grateful smile and a smile full of love. "Jace," she said incredulously, not believing her eyes, "Jace, it worked! The wound…"

He pushed a stray curl from her face gently. "Yes, Clary, it did," he said, "and I must say that that's amazing. You saved me, Clary. You saved my life." Her eyes were brimming with tears, but tears of joy, no longer tears of loss and sorrow. She held his face in her hands, looked into his eyes, kissed him. The moment seemed to last forever, her fears and worries drained away as her lips met his. She had done it. She had _saved _him.

Finally, she pulled away, not wanting to, but knowing that they shouldn't stay here. He looked up at her and smiled. "We should get back to the Institute," he said, "Isabelle and Alec will want to know what's going on." She nodded. "Just one last thing," she said, "my mom's still downstairs. Luke, um, can't touch the manacles. They're silver." Jace raised an eyebrow, looking at Luke, then back at her. I thought you said you didn't know any werewolves," he said. Clary smiled. "I didn't think I did. But it turns out we didn't have to run from them at the Dumort. That was Luke's pack. That was meant to be a rescue mission, not a kidnapping of teenage Shadowhunters. With their friend the rat." Jace laughed. "Would have been nice to know that before," he said.

"Sure as hell would've been. Oh well. Let's go," she replied, rising to her feet and holding out a hand to help him up. He took it and stood, stumbling and swaying a bit when he was fully upright. Clary held him steady. "Easy, Wayland," she said. He smiled at her, golden curls falling into his eyes. "Quiet, Fray," he said, "I'm fine." She smiled and laughed, not because she found it particularly funny, but because she had Jace back. The _real _Jace.


	6. Chapter 6

It didn't take long to remove Jocelyn's restraints. After that, they took her to a nearby mundane hospital. Jace had tried to convince Clary that they should take her back to the Institute instead, but found it hard to win even before Luke stepped in. After, there was no point in trying. Once that was done, Jace and Clary went back to the Institute. They were greeted by Isabelle and a recovered Alec. Jace could see that Clary was surprised when both of them were happy and relieved that she was safe and not just Jace. He found it somewhat amusing.

Finally, with some insistence, the two of them managed to get Isabelle and Alec to leave them alone, insisting that they needed rest after everything they had been through that night. He caught hold of Clary's hand and walked her to her room. When they got to her door, they looked at each other and, once again, found their lips locked. Clary pulled away after a moment. "Jace," she said, "I, um, I don't know if…" He smiled at her. "You don't know if you can handle a night alone right now?" She nodded. "Come on, then," he said, opening her door and letting her pass through. "I'll tell you a bedtime story." She smiled. "Is it going to be another tragic tale of a boy whose father treated him like crap?"

Jace considered this. "Yes," he said, "and no. It's about a boy whose father treated him like crap, yes. But this time, it's not about how he learned that love destroys…" He sat on her bed and she lay with her head in his lap. "So," she said, "what is it that he learns in this story, Wayland?" He smiled. "It's about how he fell in love for the first time and realized that love doesn't destroy after all. Instead, it builds and creates. It mends and heals. Now, it all started one night when the boy was seventeen. He was tracking a demon through a night club when a girl with fiery red hair, sparkling green eyes, and a scattering of freckles across her face interrupted. When the boy saw this girl, he immediately fell in love with her."


	7. Chapter 7 (Beginning of City of Ashes)

Clary Fray had never been so glad that she didn't know her older brother. Of course, she still had other things to worry about. After all, her mother was in a magic-induced coma and her mom's friend, Luke, who had pretty much played the part of Clary's father her whole life, wasn't exactly at his best. After all, even werewolves couldn't stay at a hospital bedside _constantly_. Unless, apparently, they were as worried as Luke was about Clary's mother, Jocelyn.

Jace made things easier for Clary, though. He wasn't being his usual arrogant and somewhat insensitive self lately. He had been warm and comforting. Well, to her, anyway. To the Lightwood family? Not so much. Clary guessed that it had to help that she was his girlfriend. And, of course, that she was going through pretty rough times. She honestly didn't think it was a big deal, though.

Clary sat on the front porch of Luke's house when her cell phone rang in her pocket. She took it out and glanced at the caller ID. _Simon_. She answered, suddenly feeling guilty that she hadn't called him in the past week. "Hey Simon," she said, "Sorry I haven't called you. Things have just been… erm, hectic." She could almost see him smiling on the other end. "Hey," he replied, "It's okay, Fray." She laughed. "In case you hadn't noticed, you just rhymed." When he replied, there was a hint of laughter in his voice. "Yeah," he said, "I know." He suddenly became serious. "Hey, um, how's it going with you and Jace?"

She hesitated, feeling blood rushing to her cheeks. "Great," she said, eager to change the subject, "You maybe wanna hang out later?" She knew he could detect in her voice how uncomfortable she felt talking about her relationship with Jace with him. "Yeah, sure," he said, "wanna chill out at my house?" She nodded despite his lack of actually being there. "Sounds good. See you then."


	8. Chapter 8

Clary had a feeling that this probably wouldn't end well. After Simon had confessed his feelings for her after he found Jace and Clary kissing outside her room, it made it awkward hanging out with him. Especially now that she and Jace were officially dating.

She figured that they would probably end up having another fight. If they didn't, it would be a miracle. She and Simon hadn't _actually_ fought until he found her kissing Jace that night. They had known each other for so long and had been so close. But Clary had pushed Simon to the breaking point.

She got to Simon's house an hour after they had finished talking on the phone. Simon answered a few seconds after she knocked. "Hey," she said, smiling. He smiled back. "Hey," he replied, "Come on in."


	9. Chapter 9

Everything was going completely fine. Nothing weird. No fight. Clary started to think that maybe she had been wrong about something going wrong. The two of them watched anime shows they couldn't understand and talked. This was typical. Then Simon changed the channel. _Dracula_ appeared on the screen. Suddenly Simon flinched and became serious. "Um, I'll be right back," he said, then quickly left the room.

After a few minutes, Clary became worried and went to look for him. She found him in the kitchen, leaning over the sink with a weary look on his face. His hair was tangled as if he had been running his fingers through it. "Simon," Clary asked, "are you okay?" He looked at her, smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, just," he trailed off. Suddenly, it clicked in her head. "It was the vampires, wasn't it," she said. He nodded. She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. This didn't feel weird at all to her. They had been such good friends for such a long time that it was normal and not in any way romantic.

Suddenly, though, he caught her off guard. Before she knew what was going on, she pressed up against Simon, his arms around her. Before she could say a word of protest or break free of his grasp, he was kissing her.

**Sorry, but author read, author do. Be more careful about what you post in the reviews please. I'm kind of prone to using every idea I get.**


	10. Chapter 10

Clary blinked in surprise and froze. She came to her senses after a moment and pushed Simon away. She stared at him, wide-eyed with disbelief and anger. "What are you _doing_," she asked. He looked at her, seemingly at a loss for words. She shook her head. "You _know_ I'm dating Jace. Why couldn't you just accept that? You can't just go around kissing any girl that you fall for," she said, "Especially if she's taken and _especially_ when she's also your best friend." Then she turned and ran out of the kitchen. She went straight for the door and left, furious.

Jace had never liked Simon. It wasn't just that Simon was a mundane and he was a shadowhunter. Jace knew from the start that Simon had a crush on Clary. That definitely didn't help. He liked the mundane even less when he found out how he had kissed Jace's girlfriend. Clary hadn't even had a chance to move before Simon had pulled her to him and brought his lips to hers. When Clary told Jace about it, he felt his hands clench into fists at his sides. "Jace," she said, "it's okay. He didn't hurt me. I'm fine. Not that I liked it, but it's not that big of a deal."

He looked at her and could feel the protectiveness in his own eyes. "Clary," he said, then hesitated. He didn't want to argue with her about this. He decided it was best to leave the subject alone. He wrote himself a mental IOU. _Kill one mundane teenager with glasses and an extreme sense of nerdiness._

"Okay," he said, unclenching his fists, "Let's just forget about it." She smiled. "Agreed." She leaned up and kissed him. He kissed her back, putting his arms around her and drawing her closer. He felt her fingers intertwining with his hair and the topic they had been discussing completely vanished from his mind, being replaced by the familiar-but-perfect feel of being with Clary.


	11. Chapter 11

Simon felt like a complete idiot. Why on Earth had he kissed Clary? Could he have done _anything_ more stupid? Not really. He'd known that she was going out with Jace. He'd known that Clary would probably hate him for it. He'd known that it was a bad idea overall. He'd known it all from the start. Yet he'd kissed her anyway. Which meant that Simon had probably lost his best friend. And the blame was completely and totally on him.

Clary couldn't even come close to expressing how much she loved Jace. Nor could she come close to expressing how perfect everything felt when she was with him. She sat curled up in Jace's arms on his bed in the Institute. Jace held her to himself. Clary's head rested on his shoulder and he had turned his own head to look at her. Their faces were only inches apart from each other.

"I love you," Jace said to her as a few golden curls fell into his eyes. She brushed them away. "I love you too," she said. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. Clary felt something inside her ignite, a sudden fire, a sudden longing. She pressed her lips hard against his, her arms moving to circle his neck loosely. She felt his hands tangle into her hair.

She found herself on her back as Jace fell on top of her. His hands moved from her hair down her body to her hips. His fingers slipped under her shirt, brushing her bare skin. She felt him slide his hands slowly back up, lifting her shirt. He'd lifted the shirt about halfway up to her chest when Clary heard the door open. They broke away from each other as Jace rolled off of her and sat bolt upright, staring wide-eyed at the figure in the doorway. "Maryse?"


	12. Chapter 12

Clary sat up quickly, pulling her shirt back down. "Hello, Jace," Maryse said. She looked at Clary, studying her carefully. "And who is this," she asked, "It's not like you to date a mundane." Clary saw Jace tense slightly. "She's _not _a mundie. She's a shadowhunter." Clary stood. "And I'm leaving now. I'd prefer not to get caught in the middle of this." She glanced at Jace and he gave her a small smile. Then she pushed past Maryse and left the room.

Maia didn't trust most boys. She really didn't trust Jace Wayland. Who _would _trust someone that reminded you in any way of your abusive older brother? Jace didn't even have to speak to remind Maia of her dead older brother, Daniel. They looked so much alike. At first sight, anyway. Maia still didn't like the guy. Especially after he picked a fight with her best friend, Bat, at the Hunter's Moon.

It was strange enough for a shadowhunter to suddenly show up in a werewolf bar. It was weirder when that shadowhunter seemed to be looking for a fight. Jace had almost gotten beaten to a pulp by Bat. The guy was lucky when Freaky Pete had Bat go get some fresh air. It had been only a minute, though, before Bat returned, announcing that there was a dead lycanthrope in the alley next to the Hunter's Moon.

After everyone had returned to the bar, Jace continued. He ended up with a bar full of werewolves beating him up. Only until Luke, Maia's pack leader, entered the bar. When he walked in, the crowd parted. Jace grinned at Luke despite his black eye and split lip. "Hey Luke," he said. Maia looked from Jace to Luke, then back again, wide-eyed with surprise. "You _know_ each other?" Luke sighed. "Yes, we do. Jace, come with me." Luke took Jace by the arm and led him away from the main room and into Freaky Pete's office.

"_What_," Clary asked Luke over the phone in disbelief. "Clary," he replied, "please get over here as fast as you can. I know that he'll at least see reason if he's talking to you." She sighed. "Okay, I'll be there soon," she said, then hung up. _Why_ did Jace always have to get himself in trouble?

Half an hour later, she stood outside the door of Freaky Pete's office, talking to Luke. "Did he say _why _he came here? Or why he picked a fight with a bunch of werewolves?" Luke shook his head. "Like I said, he won't talk to me." She sighed and nodded. "Okay, let's go." Luke opened the door to the office and Clary stepped inside. She yelped and jumped to the side as a pencil flew past her and embedded itself in the door where she had been standing seconds before.

Jace blinked. "Clary?" Clary sighed. "No, I'm Clary's twin sister who was raised by Valentine. I'm evil and am here to kill you." He grinned. "You're a terrible liar." Clary rolled her eyes. "Jace," she said, walking over to where he was sitting, "why did you do this?" He frowned. "I don't know," he said. Clary met his eyes with hers. "I should have expected that, I guess," she said, "You don't seem to have a reason for whatever you do most of the time."

"Clary," Jace said, "Maryse kicked me out of the Institute." Clary blinked. "She _what_?" Jace nodded. "I guess, that's part of why I came here." Clary took his hand in hers. "Jace…" He smiled half-heartedly at her and shook his head. "It's no big deal, Clary." Luke came in then. He looked at Clary and saw the expression on her face. "What," he asked, "What is it?" Clary sighed. "Maryse kicked Jace out of the Institute." Luke looked taken aback. "_What_? Really," he asked, shaking his head, "You can stay with me and Clary if you want." Jace looked at him. "Really?" Luke nodded. Jace smiled gratefully. "Thanks," he said. Luke nodded. "You're Clary's boyfriend, not a complete stranger. You're welcome to stay at my place anytime, Jace."


	13. Chapter 13

"There," Clary said, completing the _iratze_ and handing Jace's stele back to him, "You should be back to normal in no time." He smiled at her gratefully. "Thanks," he said. She kissed him on the cheek. "It's no problem," she said, smiling back. He put his arms around her and drew her closer to himself. "Clary," he said, "thank you for earlier, too." Clary blinked. "What do you mean, Jace?" He brushed a few loose curls from her face gently with the back of his hand. "I mean," he replied, "helping me calm down and see reason. I mighthave overreacted a little. Okay, a lot. It was a stupid thing to do and I realize that now. I don't think I would have, though, without your help. So thank you."

She smiled at him. "Jace," she said softly, "I love you and that's the kind of thing you do for someone you love. It was nothing, really. Especially considering how much I love you. If I had known about it all sooner, I would have been there the second I could have been and would have easily put myself between you and those werewolves." He smiled back at her and shook his head. "I wouldn't have let you." She shrugged. "I would have tried anyway," she said before leaning in and kissing him.

20 minutes later, Jace lay sprawled out on the bed in the guest room at Luke's house, Clary laid on top of him, asleep. His hair was a wild, tangled mess, he knew, and he was sure there was a sort of wild glint in his golden eyes. He probably would have looked insane to pretty much anyone who saw him right now, even with his bruises from earlier that night were gone. Of course, his crooked grin wouldn't have helped much, either.

He had his arms around Clary, softly rubbing her back as she lay with her head resting on his chest, asleep. Her fiery red hair was spread around her shoulders. Jace wondered if there was ever a time when she _wasn't_ so beautiful. He doubted it. He closed his eyes, taking in her closeness, her warmth, and her scent and feeling her steady breathing against him. "I love you, Clary," he whispered as he became suddenly overwhelmed by exhaustion and fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Clary woke up to a sudden lack of warmth and a sense that something was missing. As she opened her eyes, she realized that it was because she was no longer laid on top of Jace. She sat up sleepily, yawning. Jace was sitting up now, too, stretching like a cat. It was obvious that he had also just woken up by his wild hair and tired expression. Luke stood nearby. Clary guessed that he had come in, rolled her off of Jace, and woken Jace up.

When Luke saw her awake, he smiled. "Morning, Clary," he said. She smiled back. "Morning, Luke. What's up?" Jace's voice broke in before Luke could answer. "That is an excellent question. I was enjoying sleeping, thank you." Clary giggled. "You, um, have a visitor, Jace," Luke replied. "What," Jace asked, "How did anyone know I was here?" Luke looked at Clary, then back at him in reply. Clary wasn't sure, but she thought she saw his cheeks flush. "Oh," he said, "right."

Clary smiled at him. He seemed a little out of it. If she had to guess, she'd say it was because he was still tired. After the night before, it made sense. He looked at her. "Want to come with me? I'd rather not be alone on this." She nodded. "Of course," she said, taking his hand, "Let's go."

Isabelle sat on the couch in Luke's living room, feeling utterly awkward. After all, she hardly knew this guy. The only reason she had for being here was that Jace and Clary were there, too. She was relieved when Jace and Clary entered the room holding hands. "Izzy," Jace asked in surprise, "I wasn't expecting it to be _you_. What's up?" For some reason probably having to do with her sisterly affection for him, she lost everything she had been planning on saying to him. "Jace," she said instead, "You're okay." Jace replied with a hint of laughter in his voice. "Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be? Have you forgotten how awesome I am?"

She smiled despite her anger at him. "No," she said, remembering now why she had come, "but it was pretty stupid picking a fight with a bar full of werewolves. Which brings me to why I'm here in the first place. What the hell were you thinking? You're such an idiot sometimes! You could have gotten yourself killed!" Jace didn't seem to be affected by her raised voice and harsh tone. "Ah," he said calmly, "that is where you are wrong. You see, there's no way Luke wouldn't have found out about it in time and he never would have let those werewolves kill me. Not just because that would have caused major complications between his pack and the Clave, but also because he knows how much it would have hurt her." He glanced at Clary.

"How the hell did you come up with this in so little time before that little incident," Isabelle asked in disbelief. "I didn't. I came up with it afterwards because I knew I'd need reason in my argument with you, Alex, and Maryse. I thought that I might need it with Clary, too, but she was too busy actually paying attention to more important things like working on healing runes and being beautiful." At that, Clary blushed.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "So you were _planning _on getting yourself killed?" Jace thought about this for a moment. "No, I was _planning_ on breaking out my killer shadowhunter fighting skills at the last minute. Luckily Luke showed up because that didn't seem to be going too well." Isabelle rolled her eyes. Jace could be so full of himself sometimes. Isabelle could see how Clary changed that to some extent, though. He never would have admitted to his plans or his fighting skills failing before. Now, though, he didn't seem to be affected at all by admitting to defeat. This girl, she thought, was like a living miracle.


	15. Chapter 15

Jace sat in the library of the Institute. He hadn't been sure why at first, but Isabelle had dragged him back there. Now he knew that, strangely enough, he was supposed to speak to the Inquisitor. Which, really, just solved one mystery and replaced it with another.

"Um," he said, "why exactly do you have to talk to me?"

"We have every reason to believe," the Inquisitor replied, "that you are Valentine's son."

Jace blinked in surprise and looked at Maryse. "What? Did you… is this a joke?"

"No, Johnathan," said the Inquisitor, "it isn't. We have found proof that you are not the son of Michael Wayland." Jace shivered at the mention of his real name. He felt desperate now. This wasn't his normal self, he knew. He also knew, however, that there was a reason he couldn't bring himself to believe that he was Valentine's son. Clary.

"No," he said, shaking his head, "No, that's not possible. I can't be… I can't be his son."

"You claim to know nothing of your true parentage," the Inquisitor observed, "but that means nothing. Valentine is perhaps the best liar in all of Shadowhunter history."

"Well, you know, skill in lying doesn't seem to be too genetic," Jace mumbled, "because his daughter is just about the worst liar I've ever met. And, you know, the whole evil thing isn't exactly passed along through heritage too well either. Clary's about as far from evil as you can get."

**(Meanwhile, my readers are thinking: **_**There's this lady named Cassandra Clare, however…**_**) **

"Ah, yes, the girl," the Inquisitor said, "Jocelyn Morgenstern brought her up as a mundane, I believe? Oh, yes, of course, she is the reason you deny being Valentine's son." Jace flinched. He felt violated, in a way. The Inquisitor seemed to know everything and more about him and his girlfriend.

"By the Angel, could you s_top_ that? It's kind of unnerving," he said.

"Imogen," Maryse said, obviously noticing the tension in his tone and his composure, "maybe you're being a bit harsh on him. He's still only a child after all…"

"Maryse," snapped the Inquisitor, whose name, Jace recalled, was Imogen Herondale, "you are to not interfere with my work, understand?" Anger momentarily flared in Maryse's eyes, but it quickly vanished and she nodded.

"Yes, Inquisitor," she muttered.

"Now, boy," the Inquisitor said, returning to Jace, "what did Valentine teach you as a young child?"

"Valentine," Jace said, "is not my father."

"What," she repeated, "did he teach you?" Jace scowled.

"He is _not_," he said again, "my father."

"Very well," the Inquisitor replied, "If you refuse to cooperate, then I believe we must take our time and weaken your willpower a bit. You will stay in the cells beneath the Silent City overnight." Jace and Maryse both stared at her with an identical look of shock on their faces.

"_What_," they asked in unison.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for not updating lately. I've been busy with school, play rehearsals, and other writing. Plus I've had a bit of writer's block with this. So sorry if this chapter sucks. XP Also, I wasn't planning on bringing back the horrible heartbreaking parentage problem with Clary and Jace, but I think it's needed for some of the events that happen in City of Ashes and City of Glass. Please bear with me on that. :)**


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